Top 10: Freemason Secrets

Freemasonry connotes generations of firm tradition, the Celtic cultures of Ireland and Scotland, and whispers of closed doors, secrecy and scandal. Many organizations use rituals to increase the allure of the group and to separate the novices from the initiates. However, the Freemasons seem to have particularly attracted the rabid fascination of today’s cultural scholars and conspiracy theorists. Although it is difficult to verify their veracity, here is our best guess at the top 10 Freemason secrets:

10. Perjury

A Freemason will never testify truthfully against one of his brothers in court. While many Freemason texts decry lying and advise against it, it is better to commit the sin of perjury than to make statements against a Freemason brother.

9. Handshake

Freemasons have a secret handshake that identifies them to each other. Covertly learning that someone is a fellow Freemason would certainly come in handy during delicate labor negotiations, for instance. For a group which encouraged free thinking and fraternity among unlikely allies, it would make sense to have a way that members could identify each other.

8. Passwords

Freemasons use secret passwords. Many people know about the word “tu-bal-cain, which comes from the name of the son of Lamech the Cainite by his wife Zilla. This man was said to be “a furbisher of every cutting instrument of copper and iron.” This not-so-secret password can even be seen on plaques and plates that celebrate Freemasonry. In addition, however, there are more esoteric words and phrases that are heavily used in the hidden ceremonies of this organization. A simplistic understanding of Freemason history is necessary at this point. Thousands of years ago, King Solomon and King Hiram of Tyre decided to work together to build the most magnificent temple of all time. They enlisted the help of a master craftsman named Hiram Abif, as well as a legion of skilled masonry artisans. Just before the temple was completed, Abif was murdered by those wishing to extract master mason secrets from him. One of these was the third syllable of an all-powerful word. Solomon and Hiram knew the other two syllables, but no one was ever able to ascertain the third. As a result, Freemasons substitute the word “mor-bon-zi” for the real word, although some elite Freemasons still know the other two syllables of the original word.

7. Initiation

A noose is involved in Freemason initiation rituals. Does it symbolize the umbilical cord? Does it threaten what will happen to an initiate if secrets are shared with outsiders? No one is quite sure if either or both of these suppositions is true. In any case, it certainly adds a ponderous note of seriousness to the spectacle.

6. Lore

The sun and moon play a vital role in Freemason lore. Freemasons believe that they are the sole holders and protectors of ancient wisdom that has been lost over the centuries. The sun represents the right or male side, while the moon stands at the left or female side. Together, they symbolize the “pairs of opposites” teachings, ancient tenets known to all of the world’s indigenous cultures which state that everything in the universe has a direct opposite and the sun and moon stand for all of them. These include dry/moist, day/night, dark/light, and hot/cold. Only a super-intelligent universal architect could have the wherewithal to create such a flawless system of duality.

5. Religion

Atheists cannot become Freemasons. Given what we have learned about the Freemasons’ attention to ancient teachings about duality and balance, this should probably come as no surprise. It is not required that an initiate have a particular name or notion of who or what God is, but he certainly must believe that God exists.

4. World Domination

Freemasons are on a mission to control politics and finance. If you don’t believe it, here is a list of the U.S. Presidents who were Freemasons: George Washington, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, James Polk, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, James Garfield, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, Howard Taft, Warren Harding, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Gerald Ford. It is also rumored that over half a million British Freemasons are involved in politics or banking.

3. Symbol

The U.S. dollar bill contains a Freemason symbol. Examine a dollar bill closely and you will see a pyramid with an all-seeing eye directly above it. The Latin phrase beneath, ”Novus Ordo Seclorum,” is translated as “A new order for the ages,” not “new world order,” as some might have you believe. Nevertheless, the pyramid and eye are incontrovertibly Freemason in origin.

2. Moon Landing

Freemasons were integral to space exploration. Along with the American flag, the moon was also graced with astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s rite flag from his lodge in Texas. He is a proud Freemason, as are some of his astronaut comrades.

1. Sacred Texts

The Freemasons display a Torah, a Koran and a Bible on their altar. This supports the idea of the importance of belief in a deity to the Freemasons, as well as their willingness to embrace members regardless of their specific conceptions of God.

Because of their long history and tradition of esoteric rituals, there continue to be numerous conspiracy theories about this fascinating fraternal order. Unless one takes direct initiation and rises to the highest echelons, however, there is really no way of knowing for certain if all claims are true. One fact is clear: the Freemasons have many illustrious members within their ranks and are inextricably woven into the fabric of American and British society.